CHAPTER 3: THE NAME HE REMEMBERED
831 Words
I barely slept that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Ethan Hayes standing in front of me. I heard his voice. I remembered the way he had looked at me in his office. Most of all, I couldn't stop thinking about the question that mysterious woman had asked.
"Is she the one?"
The words followed me everywhere.
By morning, I was exhausted.
Unfortunately, the universe seemed determined to make things worse.
My first class of the day was Psychology.
Taught by Professor Ethan Hayes.
As I entered the lecture hall, my eyes automatically searched for him. He wasn't there yet. Relief washed over me, followed immediately by disappointment. I hated that disappointment. It made no sense.
I quickly took my usual seat and opened my notebook.
A few minutes later, the room fell silent.
Without looking up, I already knew he had entered.
Somehow, my body recognized his presence before my eyes did.
When I finally looked toward the front of the room, Ethan was arranging his notes on the desk. His expression was calm and unreadable, yet something about him seemed different today. More distant.
As though yesterday had never happened.
As though our conversation in his office had been erased completely.
The realization bothered me more than it should have.
The lecture began.
I tried focusing.
I really did.
But every time I looked up, I found myself watching him instead of listening.
The way he moved.
The way he explained concepts.
The confidence in his voice.
Everything about him seemed effortless.
Dangerously effortless.
Then suddenly, his eyes lifted.
Straight toward me.
My breath caught.
For one brief moment, the entire classroom disappeared.
Neither of us looked away.
Neither of us moved.
It lasted only seconds.
Yet it felt much longer.
Then Ethan cleared his throat and continued teaching as if nothing had happened.
Unlike me.
My heart spent the next ten minutes trying to recover.
After class, students gathered around him with questions. I packed my things slowly, waiting for the crowd to disappear before leaving.
That was my first mistake.
My second mistake was looking back.
Because Ethan was already watching me.
Again.
I froze.
His expression didn't change, but something passed between us.
Recognition.
Awareness.
Curiosity.
I couldn't explain it.
Before I could look away, someone dropped into the empty seat beside me.
"You're staring."
I nearly jumped.
Lucas Reed grinned at me.
My best friend.
Unfortunately.
Because Lucas noticed everything.
"I wasn't staring."
"You absolutely were."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
I rolled my eyes.
Lucas laughed.
"Whatever you say, Lily."
Before I could defend myself, a familiar voice interrupted us.
"Miss Carter."
Every nerve in my body immediately recognized that voice.
Ethan.
Lucas turned toward him.
"So this is the famous Professor Hayes."
I wanted the floor to open and swallow me.
Immediately.
Ethan's attention shifted to Lucas.
For some reason, the atmosphere changed.
The air felt heavier.
Tighter.
More uncomfortable.
"Professor," Lucas greeted politely.
"Mr. Reed."
The exchange lasted only seconds, yet neither man seemed eager to look away first.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then Ethan turned toward me.
"The department is hosting a research workshop this weekend."
I blinked.
"Okay?"
"I've selected a few students to participate."
My heart skipped.
"Selected?"
"You were one of them."
For a moment, I simply stared at him.
Out of hundreds of students.
He selected me.
Why?
The question must have appeared on my face because Ethan's jaw tightened slightly.
"You earned it."
Those three words shouldn't have affected me.
Yet somehow they did.
More than they should have.
Far more.
Ethan handed me a paper containing the workshop details.
Our fingers brushed.
Just barely.
A tiny touch.
Nothing significant.
Nothing important.
Yet the moment it happened, both of us immediately pulled away.
As if we'd touched fire.
The silence that followed felt dangerous.
Lucas noticed it too.
I could tell from the look on his face.
Thankfully, Ethan stepped back first.
"Have a good day, Miss Carter."
Then he walked away.
Leaving me completely confused.
And far too aware of the fact that my pulse was racing.
Lucas waited until Ethan disappeared before speaking.
"Okay."
I groaned.
"No."
"Oh yes."
"No."
"You've got a crush on your professor."
I almost choked.
"I do not."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You looked at him like he personally invented oxygen."
"Lucas!"
He laughed so hard people turned around to stare.
Unfortunately, I couldn't laugh.
Because a small part of me was terrified he might be right.
That night, I sat at my desk staring at the workshop invitation Ethan had given me.
I should have been excited.
Instead, I felt nervous.
Because something told me this workshop was going to change everything.
Then my phone vibrated.
Unknown Number.
My stomach tightened.
Slowly, I opened the message.
My heart stopped.
One sentence.
Just one.
"Try not to stare tomorrow."
There was no name.
No explanation.
Nothing.
But somehow...
I knew exactly who had sent it.
TO BE CONTINUED...
- Writer
